Skate



CHAS. E. HALE, OF MILLBURY, MASSACHUSETTS.

SKATE.

Specification of Letters Patent No. 32,833, dated July 16, 1861.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that l, CHARLES E. HALE, of Millbury, in the county ofWorcester and State of Massachusetts, have invented a new and usefulimprovement in Skates; and I do hereby declare that the following is afull, clear, and exact description of the same, reference being had tothe accompanying drawings, forming a part of this specication, in which-Figure l represents a side view of my improved skate showing clearly mymode of securing the runner or skate iron to the foot stand, whereby lobtain elasticity, and a yielding action of the same, under the ball orfront part of the foot stand. Fig. 2 represents a modification of Fig.l, in which the entire runner is made to yield both at the heel and toeparts thereof.

Similar letters of reference indicate corresponding parts in bothfigures.

The object of this invention is to construct a light and cheap skate,one that will be comfortable to the foot, and which will assist theskater in his movements, and accelerate his speed over the ice with lessexertion than with skates constructed previous to my invention.

My invention consists in forming the skate runner much narrower thanthey are at present made, and instead of securing the same to the bottomof the foot stand along its entire length, or securing it at intervalsto the stand, so that it will be sti and inelastic, l arrange and applythe runner to the stiff stock or stand in such amanner, that a downward,yielding, and elastic action is obtained, either along the entire lengthof the skate, or only the front part or ball of the same. The inventiondoes not consist in the employment of separate springs for this purposefor such a use of springs for skate irons are very objectionable, but itconsists in forming the springs, and obtaining the necessary elasticityor yielding action, by a continuation of the runner as will behereinafter described and represented.

To enable those skilled in the art to fully understand my invention, Iwill proceed t0 describe its construction and operation.

of the skate is represented by A, it being made of any suitable stiffmaterial and fashioned to suit the fancy of the wearer. This stock maybe fitted up with straps, clamps, or itmay be secured permanently to thesole of a boot or shoe.

B is a runner or skate iron which should be made of steel so as tocombine lightness, elasticity, and stiffness, it is made of a narrowstrip, or bar, of any desirable thickness and formed into the desiredcurve or rocking shape, with a heel standard B1, and a reverse bend B2,which is swaged or flattened out so as to give both lateral andlongitudinal strength to the attachment of this with the heel portion ofthe foot stand. rlhe height of the standard portion B1 will varyaccording to circumstances.

rlhe front attachment of the ruimer to the stock A is made by bendingthe metal up and over, and swaging or flattening out the end asrepresented, and securing it under or at the front or toe portieri ofthe foot stand as represented, or in any other way, by which the sameobject is attained, viz, a yielding and elastic action of the skate atthe toe or front part. rFhis latter attachment gives a springing effectto the front part of the stock at a point most desirable for giving aforward thrust to the person when in the act of striking out At the sametime the spring at this point will serve to some extent to prevent thejarring and disagreeable straining to the feet and legs in moving overrough ice, but by giving the same bend to the heel part of the runner,or bending the runner as represented by Fig. 2, elasticity will beobtained both at the heel and toe of the ruimer, and a sufficientlyrigid attachment of the ruimer with the skate stock to prevent a lateralmotion of the same in consequence of the lateral thrust of the feetwhile in the act of moving forward.

For all practical purposes, the skate iron represented by Fig. l will befound stronger and more eiicient than where spring is given to both heeland toe as in Fig. 2.

l am aware that the runners of skates have been attached to the footstand by springs as in the case of the United States ln the drawings,the stock or foot stand i Patent No. 22,895.

Therefore what I eam and desire t0 sestand at any point or pointswhereby the rel cure by Letters Patent s5 A sult herein described may beobtained. An improved mede of arranono' and applyng the spring orsprings, 2Jhebsarne be- CEAS' E' HALE J 5 ing a continuation of therunner, fastened Witnesses:

at the toe and heel of the foot stand, rgldly WM. THOMPSON, 0r by asuitablejoint, or secured to the ootl CI-IAs. CRUX. 1

